ZB Rebuild

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Some time back I decided to change a D-10 ZB over to a standard cross shaft operating system. I did quite a bit of research and found some pictures of others who had done the same. I wanted to save as much of the original ZB as I could so I stuck with the original changers, pickups, cabinet, pedals and etc. The only thing I really changed was how it operated. Believe me, this task wound up being quite daunting. I settled on a MSA Classic arrangement. You can get parts for the MSA Classic from Wayne Link in Canada and that's who I turned to. Some of the parts I made myself like the cross shafts and side rails.
In addition to changing the operating system, I also stripped the old finish and re-finished the cabinet.
I took some pictures and hope I can get them posted.

Tony Glassman · From: The Great Northwest

Nicely done. I bet she sounds like a million bucks

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Tony,
I haven't tried it yet. Whoa!

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

wow erv! i guess you're more than just a pretty face.
what's the clear finish? i've always been impressed with the clear tough finish on zb's.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Chris,
This guitar started out as all black. I stripped it down to all natural and then repainted the parts I wanted black. Then the whole guitar (minus the inlay) was given many, many coats of clear nitro cellulose lacquer.
This guitar came with odd ball Schaller tuners and some were bad. The only place I could find replacements was a music store in Germany so that's where they came from.

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

Erv, that is very, very impressive work! There is a dickens of a lot of thought, planning and good old-fashioned "sweat of the brow" in that. You've added value and utility to a vntage steel, and given it the classic ZB-look.

We're all on tenterhooks now until you tell us how it sounds. My guess is it's going to be just magnificent.
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Ned,
To tell you the truth, everything is in place but it needs a lot of adjustment and fine tuning. Right now I'm kind of burned out so don't plan on doing it real soon, I have a Zum that I need to get to my liking. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if some one twisted my arm and insisted that I sell them the ZB.
I'm sure I won't get anywhere near the money out of it that I've put into it. Just the parts from Wayne Link were a thousand dollars.

richard burton · From: Britain

If the original ZB changer is being kept, then it is unwise, in my opinion, to have individual bell cranks, when a simple yoke is far more effective, and trouble free.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

That turned out great, Erv.

The parts are probably available from Michael Yahl. Not sure how much it would run.

And, I agree with Richard B.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Everybody is entitled to their opinion. Very Happy

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

How did you determine the optimum cross shaft height?
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Chris,
On the original ZB setup some of the rods pulled from the bottom. I raised up the cross shafts high enough so the E9th pulls could be from the bottom.
The cross shafts all turn on bronze bushings.

Chris Lucker · From: Los Angeles, California USA

I understand you wanted the pulls to come from below, but how did you determine high to place the cross shafts? That has to be difficult without trial and error. I know that Emmons cross shaft height changed through the early guitars.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars.

J R Rose · From: Keota, Oklahoma, USA

Beautiful job Erv. What a labor of LOVE that had to be.
I love the sound of the ZB. If I was only younger. J.R.
_________________
NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Chris,
I didn't want the cross shafts to be any higher than necessary. On the three cross shafts for the E9th neck the bell cranks are mounted on the bottom. The cross shafts are just high enough so the bell cranks have a little clearance.

J.R. Thanks so much. Very Happy

Mel Bergman · From: Camarillo, California, USA

Erv,

That looks wonderful! My hats off to anyone doing major restoration work on any instrument. Comparing this to the old car world, I suppose this would be a resto-mod. Purists hate those cars, while those who own them actually have fun anddrive them a lot!

I am in the process of rebuilding ZB #11. Every part on this guitar is handmade. I have reused every single part that came on the guitar. I will post pics when I get closer to putting it back together.

Again, great work!

Mel

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Mel,
That sounds good. I saved all the old parts off the ZB. Who knows, somebody might need them. Very Happy

Mike DiAlesandro · From: Kent, Ohio

Beautiful work, stunning

I do have a question- Without the yoke to swivel, how do you pull two strings and tune them, since the pulls are independent of each other? Or is that handled with the spring on the backside of the bellcrank?

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Mike,
If you'll notice I incorporated a bit of p/p in the undercarriage. I have short springs and a collar on the bell cranks. And at the changer end each finger has an adjustment nut. Also where the two sections of pull rod come together there is a turnbuckle with left and right hand thread, just like the original ZB's.

Eric Dahlhoff · From: Point Arena, California

Erv, that's really nice!

A couple questions...
It looks like you still need to balance the pulls with the turnbuckles, correct?
How do you deal with the E-F and E-F# raises? (the mushiest issue I have found with my ZB) I have seen a couple different ways that ZBs were made, using double bike spokes at the changer, and using a separate pull rod to the middle hole.
I'd love to see some close-ups of that part.
_________________
"To live outside the law you must be honest." (Bob Dylan)

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

There is a place for two raise rods and two lower rods on each finger.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Erv, that's really a great job and I can say from experience that it is a job because I did one myself.
I like the adjustable pedal stops you have. I toyed with the idea myself but decided not to use them and only use the stops on end plate. I would have done that but would have to had changed some things and like you I was burnt out. I think yours would probably work better or have a better pedal feel.
Mine was half and half, used yokes on E 9th and the Emmons compression springs on C6th. Both seemed to work well while the yokes were easier to tune by a small margin.
Again Erv, great job. Smile

_________________
Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Man o man!

Mike DiAlesandro · From: Kent, Ohio

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

I think only a madman would attempt this endeavor. Good for you, Erv. The outcome is extremely impressive.
stevet

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